With their stout offensive line opening up running room for the hard-charging Jamal Morrow (205 yards on 27 carries) and Sione Takitaki (136 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries), the Patriots dominated possession.

And with the defensive line collapsing on Arlingtonâs would-be rushers, they held the Lions to 129 yards on the ground and, more importantly, only one consequential drive.

Arlingtonâs one successful sequence went 12 plays and ended when the Patriots defense keyed on Rueben Kelly, allowing QB Roman Holstonâs to effectively sneak it into the end zone, making it 21-7 with 47.9 seconds left in the third quarter.

That even though Morrow, whoâs been hampered lately by an ailing right knee, had to leave the game in the third quarter. He said he will be fine for next weekâs game.

âWe got the win, so Iâm better,â said Morrow, who intercepted a pass meant for his teammate in the second quarter to put the Patriots up, 14-0. âI just went up and tried to bring it in, and I guess I did. Iâll hear about that for the rest of the week, but oh well, weâll take the touchdown!â

QB Mat Bradshaw also completed his other pass attempt for a touchdown, capitalizing on a costly Arlington penalty on fourth down with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Hifo, streaking along the back of the end zone.

âAll glory to our lineman! We wonât be running like we do if it wasnât for them, man,â said the 6-3, 240-pound Tatitaki, who put the Patriots on the board when he plunged in from 2 yards out and then put them ahead 21-0 with a 1-yard TD early in the third quarter.

âItâs just the same old thing, we take it one game at a time, gotta play physical out here and, you know, weâll have a good outcome like today.â

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